Propulsion system for watercraft



J. BECKER PROPULSION SYSTEM FOR WATERCRAFT July 15, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet.1

Filed Feb. 7, 1967 INVENTOIL J sef Becker BY J. BECKER PROPULSION SYSTEMFOR WATERCRAFT July 15, 1969 Filed Feb. 7, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F L lINVENTOR.

J osef Becke r ATTORNEY United States Patent US. Cl. 115-35 14 ClaimsABSTIMCT OF THE DISCLOSURE A propulsion system for watercraft whereinthe propeller housing is turnable about horizontal and vertical pivotaxes defined by pivots located above the water surface. By turning aboutthe horizontal axis, the housing can move the propeller above the watersurface and to a level above the adjoining part of the hull. Bythereupon turning about the vertical axis, the housing can move thepropeller to a position within the confines of the hull or adjacent tothe one or the other side of the hull.

Background of the invention The present invention relates to watercraftin general and more particularly to an improved propulsion system forwatercraft. Still more particularly, the invention relates to a novelmode of installing an outboard propeller on the hull of a boat or thelike.

It is already known to provide a boat with an outboard propulsion systemwhich includes a housing for a propeller. The propeller is turnableabout a vertical axis to effect changes in the direction of propulsionand the housing is tiltable or turnable about a transverse horizontalaxis so that the propeller can beswung rearwardly and to a level abovethe water surface. The propeller and its housing are then more readilyaccessible for the purposes of inspection, repair or replacement.Furthermore, such lifting of the propeller is desirable in amphibiousvehicles during travel on land, in shallow waters to avoid damage to thepropeller and its housing, as well as during transportation of the boaton land or water.

As a rule, the housing is tiltable through an angle of 90 degrees sothat it can be moved from a normal vertical position to a horizontalposition in which the propeller is located above the water surface andis spaced from the stern of the boat. Therefore, the boat occupies moreroom when the propeller is lifted above the water surface and thepropeller is not accessible to the occupants of the boat.

Accordingly, it is an important object of my invention to provide apropulsion system for watercraft wherein the propeller is mounted insuch a way that it can be lifted above the water surface and isthereupon movable to a position within the confines of watercraft oradjacent to one side of the hull so that it can be readily reached bypersons standing on land or by occupants of the craft.

Another object of the invention is to provide a propulsion system whichdoes not occupy additional space when the propeller is moved to aposition above the water surface so that the watercraftcan beconveniently transported on land and that the thus lifted propeller isprotected against accidental damage during storage of the craft or intransport.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel system of pivotswhich connect the propeller housing of a propulsion system to the bodyof a watercraft.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a propulsion systemof the above outlined character which can be installed in many types ofsmall or large watercraft including pleasure boats, amphibian vehiclesand others.

A concomitant object of the invention is to provide a propulsion systemwhich can be installed in or on conventional watercraft.

Stillt another object of the invention is to provide a propulsion systemwhose propeller can be reached, inspected, repaired and/or replaced byoccupants of the watercraft, either while the craft is docked or whilethe craft is remote from the shore.

Summary of the invention Briefly stated, one feature of my inventionresides in the provision of a propulsion system for watercraft whichcomprises a propeller housing having a lower portion turnable about asubstantially vertical axis when the housing is held in its normaloperative position, a propeller rotatably carried by the lower portionof the housing and normally located below the water surface, first pivotmeans defining a preferably horizontal first pivot axis about which thehousing is turnable back and forth to respectively raise and lower thepropeller above and below the water surface, and second pivot meansdefining a second pivot axis which is inclined with reference to thefirst axis and is preferably vertical. The housing is turnable about thesecond pivot axis to move the raised propeller to a position within theconfines of or adjacent to the one or the other side of the hull.

One of the pivot means is mounted on the hull and carries the otherpivot means, and the other pivot means carries the housing.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theimproved propulsion system itself, however, both as to its constructionand its mode of operation, together with additional features andadvantages thereof, will be best understood upon perusal of thefollowing detailed description of certain specific embodiments withreference to the accompanying drawing.

Brief description of the drawing FIG. 1 is a somewhat schematic sideelevational view of a propulsion system which embodies one form of myinvention, the propeller being shown in its normal position below thewater surface;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the structure shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates the structure of FIG. 1 and further shows thepropeller in two additional positions which are indicated by phantomlines;

FIG. 4 illustrates the structure of FIG. 2 and further shows thepropeller in three additional positions which are indicated by phantomlines;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a second propulsion system with thepropeller shown in normal position, two additional positions of thepropeller housing being indicated by phantom lines; and

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a locating device which is utilized to holdthe propeller in normal position.

Description of the preferred embodiments Referring first to FIGS. 1 to4, there is shown a portion of a watercraft having a body or hull 16whose stern portion supports a propulsion system including a propeller10. The drive for the propeller 10' comprises an engine (not shown) anda transmission including a gear train, a system of Cardan shafts oranalogous motion transmitting means arranged to rotate the propellerabout a substantially horizontal axis when the propeller assumes thenormal position shown in FIG. 1. In such normal position, the propeller10 is located at a level below the water surface 14. The aforementionedtransmission between the propeller and the engine comprises a clutch 11and a system of gears installed in the upper portion 12 of a compositepropeller housing 12. The lower portion 13 of the housing 12 carries thebearings for the propeller shaft and is rotatable with reference to theupper portion 12 about a vertical first axis for the purpose of steeringthe craft during travel in water. Steering is effected by remote controlfrom a control stand (not shown) through the intermediary of a suitableoperative connection including a clutch 15. Such connection may furtherinclude a system of Cardanic shafts and enables the person in charge torotate the lower housing portion 13 and propeller 10 with reference tothe upper housing portion 12 and hull 16. The clutch 15 can transmitmotion to a system of bevel gears in the lower housing portion 13 tochange the angular position of this portion relative to the upperhousing portion 12. The heretofore described parts of the propulsionsystem are well known in the art and their exact construction forms nopart of the present invention. Therefore, the engine, the control stand,the transmission between the engine and the propeller shaft, and thesteering system are not shown in the drawing.

The lower portion 13 of the housing 12' carries a stabilizer here shownas a skeg 17. The devices 11 and 15 may be constituted by claw or gearclutches wherein the driving and driven parts are disengageable fromeach other. The clutch 15 is preferably a one-tooth gear clutch.

In accordance with an important feature of my present invention, theupper and lower portions of the housing are not only turnable relativeto each other about a first axis, but the whole housing 12' for thepropeller 10 is turnable about two mutually inclined second and thirdaxes which may but need not cross each other in space. The second axisis horizontal and the third axis is vertical and the two pivot meanswhich define such axes are located at a level above the water surface14.

The pivot means which defines the vertical third axis includes a fixedpivot member here shown as a sleeve 18 which is afiixed to the body orhull 16, and a second pivot member or pintle 19 which is rotatable inthe sleeve 18 and is provided with a flange 20 which carries the housing12' through the intermediary of the other pivot means. The lattercomprises a first pivot element including two spaced bearing brackets22, 23 welded or otherwise rigidly atfixed to the flange 20 and ahorizontal shaft 24 which is mounted in the brackets 22, 23 and extendstransversely of the hull 16. The second pivot element of the pivot meanswhich defines the horizontal second axis includes two arms 25, 26 whichare turnable on the shaft 24 and are rigid with the upper portion 12 ofthe housing 12'. The flange 20 rests on and is rotatable relative to acollar 21 at the upper end of the sleeve 18. The shaft 24 is located ata level above the clutches 11, 15 in a plane including the zones ofseparation between the driving and driven parts of these clutches. Thedriving parts are mounted on the hull 16.

The driving or actuating means for turning the housing 12' about theshaft 24 comprises a spindle nut 27 installed between the arms 25, 26for rocking movement about a horizontal axis which is parallel with theaxis of the shaft 24, a spindle 28 which meshes with the nut 27 and isrotatable in a bearing 29 installed between the brackets 22, 23, and areversible drive including a gear 30 which serves to rotate the spindle28. The bearing 29 is rockable about an axis which is parallel to theaxis of the shaft 24 and holds the spindle 28 against axial movement.

By driving the gear 30 through the intermediary of a lever 30a, theoperator can cause the nut 27 to move toward the bearing 29 whereby thehousing 12' turns about the axis of the shaft 2 4 (see the arrow 31 inFIG. 3) and assumes the phantom-line position 39. In such angularposition of the housing 12, the propeller 10 is located above the watersurface 14 and at a level above the upper edges of the hull 16. In thenext step, the pintle 19 is caused to rotate in the sleeve 18 to movethe housing 12' in the direction of the arrow 32 (FIG. 4) first to aposition 33 and thereupon in the direction of arrow 34 to the position35. In the position 33 of FIG. 4, the housing 12 and propeller 10 arereadily accessible from land at one side of the hull 16. In the position35, the housing 12 and its propeller are located within the confines ofthe hull 16 so that the propeller can be reached by the occupants of thewatercraft. If desired, the spindle 28 is thereupon rotated in adirection to move the nut 27 away from the bearing 29 (see the arrow 36in FIG. 3) so that the housing 12' and propeller 10 assume the position37. In such position 37, the housing 12 can rest on a suitable supportto relieve the intermeshing threads of spindle 28 and nut 29. The drivenportions of the clutches 11, 15 are automatically detached from thedriving portions as soon as the housing 12' begins to move in thedirection indicated in FIG. 3 by arrow 31.

It is clear that the purely mechanical drive 30, 30a for the spindle 28can be replaced by a pneumatic, hydraulic or electrical drive, and thata second drive can be provided to turn the housing 12' about the commonvertical axis of the sleeve 18 and pintle 19. It is further clear thatthe axis of the sleeve 18 can intersect the axis of the shaft 24 as wellas that the axis of the shaft 24 need not be exactly horizontal and/orthat the axis of the sleeve 18 need not be exactly vertical. All thatcounts is to construct the pivot means including the parts 22-26 (oranalogous pivot means) in such a way that the inclination of the pivotaxis defined by the shaft 24 insures that the housing 12' can move thepropeller 10 above and below the water surface 14 to place the propellerinto normal position and into a second or raised position in which thepropeller is preferably located at a level above the hull 16 formovement to the position 33, 35 or 37.

A very important advantage of my propulsion system is that the propeller10 can be moved to the position 37 of FIG. 3 without necessitatingturning of housing 12' about the shaft 24 through more than aboutdegrees. All that is necessary is to lift the housing 12' to theposition 39 and to rotate it about the axis of the sleeve 18.Furthermore, the provision of pivot means 18-21 renders it possible tomove the housing 12' to the position 33 of FIG. 3 in which the propeller10 and the parts mounted in the housing portions 12, 13 are readilyaccessible from land when the watercraft is adjacent to a dock or pier.The housing ,12' can have a length of several meters, and it would behighly impractical to pivot such a large housing about a horizontal axisand through more than 90 degrees, i.e., to move the housing 12' from thesolid-line position of FIG. 3 to the position 37 solely in response toturning about the shaft 24. Moreover, and since the interior of thehousing 12' is normally accessible from the left-hand side, as viewed inFIG. 1, turning of the housing 12 from the solid-line position of FIG. 3directly to the position 37 would prevent access to the interior of thehousing because the accessible side would face downwardly. The pivotmeans 18-21 contributes significantly to mobility of the housing 12' byenabling the operators to move the housing to a large number of selectedpositions without necessitating lifting of the propeller 10 well abovethe upper edge 38 of the hull.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 4, the pivot means 2226 which defines ahorizontal second axis supports the housing 12' and is supported by thepivot means 18-21 which latter defines the vertical third axis. FIG. 5illus- .trates a second embodiment of my propulsion system wherein thepivot means which defines the horizontal second axis is mounted on thebody of the watercraft and supports the propeller housing through theintermediary of the third pivot means.

The fixed pivot element of the second pivot means includes brackets 41which are affixed to the body 42 of the watercraft and carry ahorizontal shaft 40 which extends transversely of the hull. The secondpivot element includes arms 43 which are turnable on the shaft 40 andcarry the first member 46 of the third pivot means. The member 46carries a disk 44 which separates it from a second pivot member 45provided on the housing 12'. The common axis of the parts 44-46constitutes a pivot axis for the housing 12' and the latter is movableto the position 139 by turning about the shaft 40. In response toturning about the axis of the parts 44-46, the housing 12' is thereuponturnable to the position 135 in which the propeller is located withinthe confines of the body 42. Of course, the housing 12' can be arrestedin one or more intermediate positions so that the propeller can bereached from land by persons standing at the one or the other side ofthe hull. The pivot members 44, 46 preferably resemble flanges and theflange 45 is shown as forming an integral part of the upper housingportion 12.

The watercraft is preferably provided with suitable locating means forholding and locking the propeller housing 12' in normal position. Asshown in FIG. 6, such 10- cating means may comprise a bifurcated member50 which is affixed to the stern of the boat and can accommodate aportion of the propeller housing 12'. A removable bar 51 holds thehousing 12 in illustrated position. The member 50 preferablyaccommodates an intermediate part of the housing 12 directly above thelower portion 13. An important function of the member 50 and bar 51 isto insure proper engagement between the driving and driven portions ofthe clutches 11, 15 when the housing 12' is maintained in the solid-lineposition of FIG. 1 or 5.

The structures shown in FIGS. 1-4 and in FIG. 5 may be provided withsuitable retaining means for releasably or yieldably holding the housing12 in one or more selected positions (such as the positions 39, 33, 35,37, 139, 135). The retaining means may include depressible stop pins,fixed stops, chains, pivotable clamps or the like. One such retainingmeans is shown in FIG. 3 and includes a yoke 55 fixed to the boatportion 38 to straddle an intermediate part of the housing 12' in theposition 37. It is also possible to utilize retaining means in the formof spring-biased detent devices. For example, the sleeve 18 of FIG. 1can carry one or more spring-biased balls each of which enters acomplementary notch in the periphery of the pintle 19 in response torotation of the pintle through 90 degrees or through a whole multiple of90 degrees. Such ball or balls will automatically hold the housing 12'in the positions 39, 33, 35 of FIG. 4 and also in the position 37 ofFIG. 3.

Fixed retaining means are normally provided for the end positions of thehousing 12' and yieldabl or readily disengageable retaining means can beused to hold the housing in one or more intermediate positions. Theposition 37 of FIG. 3 can be said to constitute an end position and theposition 39 or 33 of FIG. 4 is an intermediate position. The provisionof fixed, yieldable and/or removable retaining means is of advantage byinsuring that the housing 12 will not move in the course of inspectionor repair work.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge,readily adapt it for various applications without omitting featureswhich fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic andspecific aspects of my contribution to the art.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent isset forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a watercraft, a propulsion system comprising a propeller housinghaving an upper portion and a lower portion; first pivot means betweensaid upper and said lower portions of said housing, said first pivotmeans defining a first axis which during operation of the watercraft issubstantially vertical and about which said lower portion is turnablerelative to said upper portion; propeller means rotatably carried bysaid lower portion and normally located at a level below the watersurface so that by turning said lower portion of said housing about saidfirst axis the watercraft may be steered; second pivot means defining asecond axis extending transverse to the first axis, said housing beingturnable about said second axis to respectively raise and lower thepropeller means above and below the water surface; and third pivot meansdefining a third axis extending transverse to said second axis, saidhousing being turnable about said third axis after being lifted out ofthe water by being turned about said second axis.

2. A propulsion system as defined in claim 1, wherein said third axis isat least nearly normal to said second 3. A propulsion system as definedin claim 1, wherein said third axis is at lea-st nearly vertical.

4. A propulsion system as defined in claim 1, wherein said second axisis substantially horizontal and said third axis is substantiallyvertical.

5. A propulsion system as defined in claim 1, wherein said second andthird axes cross each other in space.

6. A propulsion system as defined in claim 1, wherein said third pivotmeans comprises a fixed pivot member and a second pivot member which isturnable with reference to said fixed pivot member about said thirdaxis, said second pivot means comprising a first pivot element carriedby said second pivot member and a second pivot element turnable withreference to said first pivot element about said second pivot axis, saidhousing being carried by said second pivot element.

7. A propulsion system as defined in claim 6, wherein the fixed pivotmember of said second pivot means comprises a sleeve afiixed to the bodyof the watercraft and said second pivot member includes a pintle whichis rotatable in said sleeve.

8. A propulsion system as defined in claim 7, wherein said pintle has aflange which supports said first pivot element.

9. A propulsion system as defined in, claim 1, wherein said second pivotmeans comprises a fixed pivot element and a second pivot element whichis turnable with reference to said first element about said second axis,said second pivot means comprising a first pivot member carried by saidsecond pivot element and a second pivot member turnable with referenceto said first pivot member about said third axis, said housing beingcarried by said second pivot member.

10. A propulsion system as defined in claim 1, wherein said third pivotmeans carries the second pivot means and wherein said second pivot meanscarries said housing.

11. A propulsion system as defined in claim 1, further comprising meansfor releasably locking said housing in at least one selected angularposition with reference to at least one of said second and third axes.

12. A propulsion system as defined in claim 1, wherein said housing ispivotable about each of said second and third axes to a plurality ofpredetermined positions, and further comprising means for releasablylocking the housing in at least one selected position.

13. A propulsion system as defined in claim 1, further comprisinglocating means for releasably holding said housing in a position inwhich said propeller means is located below the water surface.

14. A propulsion system as defined in claim 1, further comprising drivemeans for turning said housing at least about one of said second andthird axes.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,755,766 7/1956 Wanzer 352,973,738 3/1961 Ladewig 115-41 2,114,633 4/1938 Hedges 11535 2,146,6232/1939 Caroland 11535 3,333,798 8/1967 Stroud 11541 TRYGVE M. BLIX,Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 115-41

